The Central Federal District is so named not because it is located in the centre of Russia but because it is the political and historical centre of the country.  It is the most populated federal district although almost half of its population lives in Moscow and the Moscow Region and its area only represent 3.8% of the total Russian territory - a size approximately the same as France.  It has two cities with a population of over one million: Moscow and Voronezh.  The district consists of 18 federal subjects, including 17 regions and the federal city of Moscow - the capital of the Russian Federation and the administrative centre of the district. The district has excellent transport infrastructure and it is possible to get to practically any Russian city from Moscow.  The Central Federal District shares a border with the Republic of Belarus and Ukraine. 

  As the historical core of Russia, the Central Federal District has the highest concentration of kremlins including the kremlins in Moscow, Tula, Kolomna, Zaraisk, Ryazan and Smolensk.  In addition, it also has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Sergiev Posad’s Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, Moscow’s Red Square and Kremlin, Ascension Church in Kolomensky Park, Novodevichy Convent, Yaroslavl’s Historical Centre and Suzdal and Vladimir Monuments. The Central Federal District also boasts one of the most popular tourist routes in Russia - the Golden Ring of historical cities.